The Man Who Sold the World is the third studio album by English rock artist David Bowie. It was originally released in the United States by Mercury Records in November 1970, and then in April 1971 in the United Kingdom. He recorded the album with producer Tony Visconti at Trident Studios in London and Advision Studios in West London.
Much of The Man Who Sold the World had a distinct heavy metal edge that distinguishes it from Bowie's other releases, and has been compared to contemporary acts such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Music critic Greg Kot said the album marked Bowie's change of direction into hard rock. The record also provided some unusual musical detours, such as the title track's use of Latin rhythms to hold the melody. The sonic heaviness of the album was matched by the subject matter, which included insanity ("All the Madmen"), gun-toting assassins and Vietnam War commentary ("Running Gun Blues"), an omniscient computer ("Saviour Machine"), and Lovecraftian Elder Gods ("The Supermen"). The song "She Shook Me Cold" was an explanation of a sexual encounter. The album has also been seen as reflecting the influence of such figures as Aleister Crowley, Franz Kafka and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Tracklist
1. Width of A Circle
2. All The Madmen
3. Black Country Rock
4. After All
5. Running Gun Blues
6. Saviour Machine
7. She Shook Me Cold
8. The Man Who Sold The World
9. The Supermen
Cat no: 825646287383
The Man Who Sold the World is the third studio album by English rock artist David Bowie. It was originally released in the United States by Mercury Records in November 1970, and then in April 1971 in the United Kingdom. He recorded the album with producer Tony Visconti at Trident Studios in London and Advision Studios in West London.
Much of The Man Who Sold the World had a distinct heavy metal edge that distinguishes it from Bowie's other releases, and has been compared to contemporary acts such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Music critic Greg Kot said the album marked Bowie's change of direction into hard rock. The record also provided some unusual musical detours, such as the title track's use of Latin rhythms to hold the melody. The sonic heaviness of the album was matched by the subject matter, which included insanity ("All the Madmen"), gun-toting assassins and Vietnam War commentary ("Running Gun Blues"), an omniscient computer ("Saviour Machine"), and Lovecraftian Elder Gods ("The Supermen"). The song "She Shook Me Cold" was an explanation of a sexual encounter. The album has also been seen as reflecting the influence of such figures as Aleister Crowley, Franz Kafka and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Tracklist
1. Width of A Circle
2. All The Madmen
3. Black Country Rock
4. After All
5. Running Gun Blues
6. Saviour Machine
7. She Shook Me Cold
8. The Man Who Sold The World
9. The Supermen
Cat no: 825646287383
